The Cuban leader said he had suffered gastrointestinal bleeding, apparently due to stress from recent public appearances in Argentina and Cuba, according to the letter read live on television by his secretary, Carlos Valenciaga.

What's stressful about a public appearance? This guy is famous for running his yap in front of a microphone and delivering four-hour speeches.

"The operation obligates me to undertake several weeks of rest," the letter read, adding that extreme stress "had provoked in me a sharp intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding that obligated me to undergo a complicated surgical procedure."

Castro said he was temporarily relinquishing the presidency to his younger brother and successor Raul, the defense minister, but said the move was of "a provisional character." There was no immediate appearance or statement by Raul Castro.

I'm thinkin' Raul is saying the same prayers we are. He's been the Commandante-In-Waiting for a long time.

The elder Castro asked that celebrations scheduled for his 80th birthday on Aug. 13 be postponed until Dec. 2, the 50th anniversary of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces.

Hell No! I'm going ahead with the Castro's 80th Birthday Party that I had planned. We already sent out the invitations.

3
Intestinal discomfort? Probably caused by a full pack of sugar-free Twizzlers and a full pack of sugar-free M&M knock-offs with all their sugar alcohols. It happened to someone I know once. Makes you a bad speller too.

Posted by: BlameCandida at July 31, 2006 05:25 PM (huEVN)

4
Will JIMMY CARTER and the hollywood liberals send him get well cards? and will commie crap face ED ASNER send him XXXX OOOO to him and what about baghdada sean be there to and what about crud mouth JOHHNY DEPP? PHOOIE SPURWING PLOVERS CAN KICK ANY JACK SPARROW SQUAWK SQUAWK

7
From the article:
When asked about how she felt having Raul Castro at the helm of the nation, Cesar paused and said one word: "normal."Smart answer, Cesar. Now, leftists spend so much time shrieking about American totalitarianism, they forget what actual totalitarianism really means. Dictatorship is a crime.

But this was funny: Although Castro quickly returned to the stage, many Cubans understood for the first time that their leader would one day die.The AP apparently thinks Cuba is populated by morons.

Posted by: sandy burger at July 31, 2006 05:45 PM (zHO88)

8
Although Castro quickly returned to the stage, many Cubans understood for the first time that gravity pulls things down.

14
Thanks to Fidel himself, the dear leader has the world's foremost medical system in place to oversee his treatment. And it's available to all Cubans too. Not just the elite. Like over here in amerikkka. That's whats so freakin' neat about it. He'll be back up kissin' babies and fighting US imperialism before you know it!!! I just know he will! OK. I'm off to the big protest against using Agent Orange to clear fields of fire for our misguided little murderers in Iraq. You guys comin'????

Posted by: UCal-BA in PolySci at July 31, 2006 06:50 PM (uZY36)

15had provoked in me a sharp intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding that obligated me to undergo a complicated surgical procedure

A shotgun blast to the gut can do that. Should've aimed a little higher.

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